If you’ve been looking for a way to reach the diverse learners in your math classroom without creating three different versions of every assignment, math choice boards are the answer.

By giving students choice, you’ll:

• Increase engagement

• Learn more about their learning styles

• Make differentiation feel manageable

I’ve used choice boards for years in my pre-algebra and Algebra 1 classes, and they’ve become one of my favorite tools. My students stay more engaged, practice more intentionally, and perform better academically—and I’ll be using them in every future math class I teach!

What are Math Choice Boards?

Choice boards are graphic organizers that give students control over how they practice a concept or demonstrate understanding. They often look like a grid filled with tasks or problems for students to choose from.

You might also hear them called:

• Learning menus

• Think-Tac-Toe boards

• Student choice grids

No matter the format, the goal is the same: empower students to practice skills at their own level and show what they know in a way that works best for them.

How Do Math Choice Boards Work?

There are several ways to structure choice boards in secondary math, but my favorite is using a 3×5 grid:

• Each column represents a different skill or type of problem

• Each row represents a different difficulty level

For example, in my Simplifying Expressions Choice Board:

• One column focuses on combining like terms

• Another practices distributive property

• A third covers simplifying algebraic expressions

The top row contains straightforward, guided problems, while each row after gets progressively more challenging. Students choose a set number of problems to complete, which allows them to work at their own pace and level.

This built-in differentiation helps struggling students focus on foundational problems while challenging others to tackle higher-level tasks—all within the same activity.

How to Use Choice Boards in Your Math Classroom

One of the best parts about choice boards is their flexibility. You can use them for:

1. Independent Practice
   

   After a mini-lesson, I often assign a choice board for students to work on during the remainder of class. I give them a large selection of problems and ask them to complete a smaller number—for example, 9 out of 15 problems.

   For students who need extra support, I’ll sometimes highlight specific problems for them to complete first. This ensures everyone gets the practice they need without adding extra prep for me.

2. Station Work

   If you use the math workshop model, choice boards work beautifully in station rotations.

   One option is to make the choice board itself the station activity:

   • Fill a 3×3 Tic-Tac-Toe grid with activities

   • Make the center a “must-do”

   • Have students complete any other two tasks that make three in a row

   This structure builds autonomy while keeping students on track. You can also use choice boards as part of your teacher-led station, walking through select problems with small groups.

3. Homework

   Choice boards are also perfect for math homework.

   Instead of sending home a traditional worksheet, I assign a choice board with several problems and have students choose a set number to complete. Parents appreciate it, students are less overwhelmed, and homework completion rates go up.

Choice boards are one of the easiest ways to add student choice, differentiation, and engagement to your math classroom without doubling your workload.

If you want to try them out, you can grab ready-to-use math choice boards in my math resources shop. They’re the exact ones I use with my students, and they make planning so much easier.